Fernandez transfer uncertainty echoes Isak saga last summer
Chelsea set a £120m asking price for Enzo Fernandez as Manchester City eye a move and fans jeer the midfielder during a friendly.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Chelsea set a £120m price tag on Enzo Fernandez with an August 14 transfer deadline.
- Manchester City, managed by Enzo Maresca, remain keen on signing the 25-year-old midfielder.
- The current situation bears strong similarities to Alexander Isak's prolonged transfer saga last year.
- Fernandez faced mixed reactions of boos and cheers from Chelsea fans during a 3-1 friendly win over Real Sociedad.
The future of Chelsea's Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez remains uncertain, even though the club agreed with his agent Javier Pastore in late May that he could leave for £120m before an August 14 deadline. With that deadline passing without formal offers, the Blues informed Fernandez's camp that the player is not for sale during the current transfer window.
However, this ongoing situation mirrors the protracted transfer saga surrounding Alexander Isak last summer. Newcastle United continually insisted the Sweden striker was not for sale before he completed a British-record move to Liverpool on transfer deadline day after weeks of speculation.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Meanwhile, Manchester City—managed by Fernandez's former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca—remain interested in securing the 25-year-old and believe the Stamford Bridge club is still open to a deal. City have already recruited Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for a club-record £116m, Jeremy Monga from Leicester City for £12.5m, and Geronimo Rulli from Marseille for £1.7m, alongside advanced talks for Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi for £85m. Securing Fernandez and Bouaddi would push Maresca's total spending beyond £330m.
Reports from Spain indicate that Chelsea privately remain open to selling Fernandez and have appointed high-profile agent Jorge Mendes to resolve the issue. Fernandez previously attempted and failed to secure a move to Real Madrid earlier in the summer. Complicating matters further is his strained relationship with a section of the Chelsea supporters, who greeted him with audible jeers when he appeared as a substitute in Saturday's 3-1 friendly victory over Real Sociedad, alongside some cheers.
Dealing with high-profile transfer speculation late in the window frequently disrupts squad harmony and tactical continuity. For a newly appointed manager like Xabi Alonso, managing potential departures while trying to implement a structured 3-4-2-1 formation requires balancing financial windfalls against the immense difficulty of sourcing an adequate replacement at short notice.
Although Chelsea attempted to signal faith in Fernandez by handing him the captain's armband after he replaced Reece James last weekend, doubts persist over his long-term stay. With other midfielders like Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, and Valentin Barco in the squad, the club has numerical depth, but the disruption of a late departure remains a key narrative as the transfer window draws to a close.
Source: BBC Sport
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